


She Sees Seashells

by ericsonclan



Series: A Pirate's Life For Me AU [48]
Category: The Walking Dead (Telltale Video Game)
Genre: Beaches, F/F, Flirting, Fluff and Angst, Love Confessions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-06
Updated: 2021-02-06
Packaged: 2021-03-12 00:00:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,312
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29251110
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ericsonclan/pseuds/ericsonclan
Summary: Renata invites Minnie for a walk along the beach. Minnie wonders how much of herself she can share.
Relationships: Minerva & Tenn (Walking Dead), Renata/Minnie (Walking Dead: Done Running)
Series: A Pirate's Life For Me AU [48]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1683673
Kudos: 2





	She Sees Seashells

**Author's Note:**

> (by Laura)

It had been a few months since Minnie discovered the bakery in town. She would drop by every few days to get bread for herself and Tenn and each time Renata would greet her with the same enthusiasm. Sometimes the shop was busy and there were other customers to attend to, but Renata always made sure to spare a few moments to chat with Minnie and slip a few extra treats into her basket. On days when no one else was there though, Renata would drag Minnie into the back of the store and tell her all sorts of stories about her life while offering Minnie new types of bread and sweets to try.

She’d learned quite a bit about Renata in their time together. Renata’s parents weren’t dead as Minnie had first suspected. Rather they were simply too old to run the bakery anymore so Renata had taken over. Though it was clear Renata loved the bakery dearly, Minnie could also tell she felt somewhat trapped in her current circumstances, longing for the freedom to explore other avenues in life or visit other places. Renata never let herself get glum though. She always had something positive to talk about, whether it be a new recipe she had tried, a funny encounter with one of the townspeople or even a joke she’d come up with.

From time to time questions came up about Minnie’s life. She tried to keep things as vague as possible. No, she wasn’t from around here. She’d spent her childhood traveling then taken a career at sea before her untimely injury led her to settle on shore. Minnie felt somewhat guilty for not telling the truth: that she was an orphan, a street rat, a former pirate. But would Renata want to keep talking to her if she knew of those things? This was the first time in years Minnie had a friend; she didn’t want to squander this opportunity simply for the sake of brutal honesty. Besides, from what she could piece together, Renata was rather lonely as well. Most of her friends had married, gone to sea or moved away. If Minnie could make herself a suitable friend to help Renata quell some of that loneliness, that was good enough for her.

\---

It was a somewhat cloudy morning when Minnie spotted a figure making their way along the hills. She had been sitting outside with Tenn, carving a flute as he worked to paint the roiling sea. Minnie squinted suspiciously as the figure approached. They never received visitors up this way. She was surprised when she found it to be Renata. With a covered basket swinging in one arm and a smile upon her face, Renata came strolling over to them.

“Hi, guys! I finally figured out where you live. I knew you said it was up in the hills, Minnie, but I wasn’t expecting it to be  _ this  _ far!” Renata leaned over to see the painting Tenn was working on. “Holy crap, Tenn! That looks exactly like the ocean today – you’ve really got a knack for this,”

“Thanks, Renata,” Tenn smiled shyly. He’d tagged along with Minnie a few times to the bakery so he’d met Renata but he often excused himself after a few minutes, leaving to finish the rest of the shopping. Minnie wondered to herself if he did that on purpose to give her alone time with Renata. The thought made her jittery inside, though judging by Renata’s friendliness toward everyone she met, Minnie doubted Tenn’s suspicions were correct. If that’s what they even were. Thinking like that had Minnie second-guessing herself at every turn so she usually nipped it in the bud.

Renata’s attention was diverted to Minnie. “What are you working on, Min?”

“Just a simple flute. They usually sell pretty well at market,” Minnie tried to keep her eyes focused on the task at hand even as her skin warmed at Renata’s presence by her side.

Renata whistled, impressed by her handiwork. “I’m gonna have to drop by next time you guys go to market. Just watch me buy out the entire stall,”

Minnie smiled at the thought. From what she knew, Renata didn’t make enough from the bakery to fulfill promises like that. Still, she appreciated the thought. The heady smell of cinnamon coming from Renata’s basket distracted her. Minnie nodded towards it. “What’s in there?”

“Half is sticky buns and some other sweets for you two. The rest is old bread I’ve been saving for the seagulls,” A mischievous grin crossed Renata’s lips. “Do you guys want to join me while I walk the beach and throw bread at them? It’s pretty fun,”

“I need to finish this painting before the weather changes,” Tenn replied, his eyes still on his canvas. “But I’m sure Minnie would love to join you,”

“Alright! You ready to go, Min?”

Minnie looked up into Renata’s bright, expectant eyes. There was no way she could say no to her. “Alright. Let me just get my tools inside then we can head out.”

“Yippee!” Renata ran ahead of her into the house. “I’ll find a spot for the sticky buns!”

\---

It was a pleasant day considering the cloudiness. One of those mornings where it looks like it’ll rain but never does. Minnie and Renata made their way down to the beach, chatting about this and that until they came across a flock of seagulls lazily circling above them.

Renata let out an excited gasp. “There they are!” Digging inside her basket, she tossed a handful of crumbs high into the air. “Come and get it, ya turds!” Grabbing Minnie’s hand, she pulled her behind a nearby boulder to wait for the gulls to notice the snack they’d been left. It only took a few moments for the birds to catch on, descending en masse from above and fighting over the scraps of stale bread cast along the sand. Renata giggled as she watched the brawling. “They always go ham over it!”

Minnie found herself watching Renata’s face more than the actual bird battle. The way her nose wrinkled in excitement, her teeth biting her lower lip in anticipation of which bird would win he most scraps, the stray curl that had fallen out of her bun… Minnie found herself wanting to brush it behind Renata’s ear, but stopped herself. When Renata glanced her way, her eyes shot out to the beach, intently watching the match between the two largest gulls.

“Looks like things have settled down a bit. We can’t have that. Excuse me,” With that Renata ran out of their hiding place with a banshee cry, swinging her basket wildly. The gulls flew back up into the air in annoyance. As soon as they were clear of her, Renata placed her basket down on the sand. Grabbing two handfuls of crumbs this time, she spun in a circle, scattering them out in all directions. Her mission complete, she picked up her basket once more and returned to crouch beside Minnie. Within seconds the gulls had descended upon the scraps once more.

“Alright, Min, this time we’re running out there together. We’re not even gonna give them the satisfaction of finishing this round. You ready?”

Minnie nodded, a smile crossing her own face. Renata’s excitement was contagious. “Ready,”

“On the count of three then. One, two… three!” The girls ran out together, squealing excitedly and wildly waving their arms. The seagulls were loath to give up their bread, many hopping around to grab as many pieces as possible, avoiding the girls rather than flying away. Renata resorted to stomping her feet and leaping high into the air, making as much noise as possible to scare them off. Minnie didn’t go quite as far, but she joined in the arm waving and shouting, trying to scare off some of the larger gulls.

Once the last gull had flown off, the girls shared a proud smile.

“Let’s walk a bit farther before throwing more bread, see if we can find a new flock,” Renata suggested.

Minnie agreed. She didn’t really care what they were up to – she just wanted this time to last longer. Being out here on the beach with Renata with absolutely no one else around was so pleasant. The bakery was nice, but there was always the chance of a customer walking in and their time being cut short. Here they were all alone – no interruptions.  _ You shouldn’t let yourself think like this,  _ Minnie scolded herself.  _ Telling yourself you just want to be friends with her and then thinking shit like this? You can’t fool yourself. If you aren’t careful, you won’t fool her either. _

They walked for some time without seeing more gulls. Renata asked Minnie more about herself: her likes and dislikes, her dreams, her family. Minnie talked about Sophie. She kept out most details but told Renata of how they had been separated for a long time, how badly she had tried to get her back, and how at last they’d been reunited. She wasn’t sure how much sense the story made without including any of the crimes she had committed all those years on the Delta or the bloody battles that had left her burnt and scarred, but Renata listened with rapt attention, taking in every word. They were both so absorbed in conversation that they didn’t even notice the clouds growing darker until the first raindrop fell directly on Minnie’s nose.

Both of them looked to the sky. What had appeared to be a pleasant, cloudy day had quickly grown stormy, a rumble echoing across the shore from deep within the sky. Before they could even think of returning to the cottage the sky opened and sheets of rain came pouring down upon them.

“Find shelter!” Renata cried, placing the basket atop her head.

Minnie’s eyes searched the stretch of beach. She’d come across a cave in her explorations soon after she and Tenn had settled here. It shouldn’t be far… there! Minnie’s finger shot out, pointing to the unassuming pile of rocks. “There’s a cave over there! We’ll be safe inside!” They sprinted toward the opening, hearts pounding as lightning shot down in the distance, touching the ocean. This was a serious storm. The entrance to the cave was narrow. Leading the way, Minnie squeezed through the tunnel, Renata close behind. As she’d remembered, the cave quickly opened us as soon as they got inside. It was a fairly small space, but dry save for an opening in the ceiling at the far end where rain drizzled through. Minnie was thankful for the light it offered though. They wouldn’t be trapped in utter darkness.

“Wow, what a storm!” Renata exclaimed. “We were in it for what, two minutes? Already I’m soaked through!” She reached down to the hem of her skirt, wringing it out. Water dribbled out onto the sandy floor.

“You’re alright? Are you cold?” Minnie looked round the cave floor, wondering if there was any driftwood she could use to start a fire. Who knew how long they’d be stuck in here.

“Nah, I’m fine. Not like it was that cold of a day anyway. Plus being in here shields us from any wind,” Renata looked round the cave. “This place is awesome. How’d you find it?”

Minnie shrugged. “Just came across it on one of my morning walks. Figured it could come in handy someday,”

For what? Hiding buried treasure perhaps?” Renata walked closer to Minnie, a mischievous grin on her face.

“I don’t think it’s well hidden enough for that,” Minnie looked down at Renata with a smile. Her hair was slick from the rain, almost jet black in the dim light. The lock that had come free from her bun was now plastered to her cheek, tempting Minnie. Before she thought better of it, Minnie reached out, tucking it behind Renata’s ear.

Renata’s seemed surprised at the gesture, her eyes widening.

Minnie’s hand froze by Renata’s ear, terrified by what she’d just done.  _ Shit. I messed up. I’ve showed my cards, haven’t I? She’s not going to want anything to do with me now. She’ll- _

Renata’s hands suddenly came up, cupping Minnie’s face. Going onto her tiptoes, she leaned forward, pressing a soft kiss to Minnie’s lips. Minnie felt her heart stop at the gesture, freezing in the terror and euphoria of the moment. She didn’t move. Renata’s lips pulled away, and all was silent save for the sound of the rain trickling down from up above. Renata bit her lip, casting her eyes to the floor. “Guess I read too much into this, huh? Sorry. Now I’ve made things weird,”

No, that wasn’t it. That kiss had been electric, everything Minnie hadn’t let herself dare to hope for. But she didn’t deserve it. Renata didn’t even know who she really was. Minnie felt her throat go dry. Could she really tell Renata the whole truth? She had to - she couldn’t let Renata go blaming herself for why she’d froze. “I was a pirate… before I came here. I killed people,”

Renata looked up, her expression unreadable. She stayed silent. Minnie knew she had to continue.

“When I said I travelled when I was young, that was a lie. I wandered the streets looking for scraps. I was an orphan. My sister and I were captured by a group of pirates. That year was-” Minnie’s tongue caught in her throat at the memory, “Hell. She and I tried to escape, but Sophie fell in the water and I thought she’d died. That’s when was rescued by the Delta. They told me there was a way to bring her back. And I sold my soul to them to find it,”

The rest of the story came pouring out of Minnie. The lives she had taken in search of the items Lilly needed, her blind belief in the promise that once they’d achieved their goals they’d have the ability to bring Sophie back to life. Her battle with her childhood friends, the ways she had hurt them, maimed them. The blast that permanently scarred her own face. Finding Sophie was alive and being too far gone to believe it was really her. At last finding the courage to stand against Lilly and her lies though it would cost her life. The sinking of the ship, the miraculous rescue, and coming ashore here, vowing to live a quiet life of peace for the rest of her days. Minnie’s voice shook as she confessed, the weight of all she carried and had hidden pressing down on her now.  “I’m not a good person, Renata. I tried to pretend to be because I wanted to be your friend. But I shouldn’t have lied to you. I’m sorry,” Minnie’s eyes remained fixed to the floor, too ashamed to face her. At least the truth was out in the open now. It was better that way than living a lie. Renata deserved more than that.

Renata was silent. Was she going to flee? Brave the dangers of the storm outside rather than be trapped here with a cold-blooded killer? Instead a hand touched Minnie’s shoulder. Minnie flinched at the touch, drawing back instinctively in fear. Her back hit the cave wall. Looking down at Renata, she saw sadness in her eyes, an apology. Her hand stayed in place though.

“Thank you for telling me all that. I figured there had to be more to your story, just didn’t know when you’d feel comfortable sharing it. Scars like this…” her hand came up, a thumb caressing Minnie’s cheek. “Run deep. I’m sorry you had to go through so much pain before finally finding a place to rest. It’s not fair,”

_ Does she see me as a victim?  _ “It was my choice. My decisions that led to this scar,”

“Maybe. But it was also your decisions that saved your siblings’ lives. Saved everybody’s lives from the sound of it,” Renata’s gaze was steady upon her.

It was too much for Minnie. Flustered, she looked away, her heart pounding within her chest.

“I’d like to kiss you again. May I?”

She was asking? Minnie didn’t know what to say. She didn’t know if she could manage to say anything even if she tried. “Uh huh,”

“Good,” Renata’s hand slipped up into Minnie’s hair, anchoring her as she lifted herself up for another kiss. Her lips were soft, warm. And even wet with rain, she still smelled like cinnamon.

Minnie moaned into the kiss. Her arms came down, wrapping tightly round Renata’s waist. This was what she’d wanted. What she was too afraid to ask for. She wanted to disappear inside this moment, let it overcome her until it was all she knew. Renata pulled back for air only to dip forward again. She let out a little yelp of surprise as Minnie lifted her to stand on top of her shoes, giving her an extra few inches. It didn’t stop her kisses though. They alternated between long and quick before suddenly her lips were upon Minnie's face, peppering her with kisses. Minnie clung to Renata, her hands gripping her tightly, arms pulling her closer. She didn’t want her to stop, never wanted it to stop. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt like this, so excited and happy she couldn’t breathe. Renata wanted her. She’d told her everything and she still wanted her. She still couldn’t believe this was real.

Eventually the fervor of the moment had both of them needing a breather. They pulled apart but Renata remained atop Minnie’s feet, rocking back and forth happily. Grinning, she pressed her face into the crook of Minnie’s neck. “Whould’ve thought it would take a rainstorm for me to finally get up the nerve to kiss you! I’ve been wanting to do that ever since you came through my door with that dopey, lost look on your face,”

Minnie chuckled. “That was your first impression of me? Didn’t know I was that impressive,”

“I just knew I couldn’t let you slip away,” Renata wiped a droplet off Minnie’s cheek. “I don’t think I’ve ever given that many free samples to a customer in my life,”

“I’d hope not. I’d be jealous if you had,” Minnie glanced down at Renata, smirking as she shyly hid her face against her. “You know I’ve been eating a ton of bread lately. We never run out of it that fast. Tenn kept offering me his portions since he noticed how much I was eating. Couldn’t find it in myself to explain what I was really doing,”

Renata chuckled. “Guess my plan worked after all. Get you hooked on my bread before I won you over with my sparkling personality,”

“It didn’t take long for you to hook me,” Minnie murmured. Her cheeks heated slightly when she realized how forward that sounded.

Renata simply giggled, her lips pressing against Minnie’s cheek, catching the corner of her lip in a way that had Minnie going in for a kiss. Renata hummed approvingly, her eyes lidded in a dreamy haze as they pulled apart. “Guess this means we’re together now,”

“If you want me,”

“Silly, of course I do! What part of the last ten minutes has you thinking I wouldn’t?” Renata playfully scolded, cupping Minnie’s face in her hands. “Guess you need some more convincing,” With that she began another barrage of kisses across Minnie’s face, causing Minnie to devolve into giggles as her arms trailed round Renata’s back once more, holding her steady. Overhead, Minnie could hear that the rain had softened, the droplets now a gentle pitter patter above them. She should probably let Renata know; they needed to get back to the cottage before Tenn got too worried. But they could spare a few minutes more. For now, she would live in this moment.


End file.
